Meat-slitting machine



May 13, 1941. ,J SPANG 2,241,648

MEAT-SLITTING MACHINE Filed July 8, 1939 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig.1.

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May 13, 1941. J. P. SPANG I MEAT-SLITTING' MACHINE Filed July 8. 1939 Y5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig.8

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I May 13, 1941. J. P. SPANG MEAT-SLITTING MACHINE Filed July 8, 1939 4 FF1 g. 4.

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Patented May 13, 1941 MEAT- SLITTING MACHINE Joseph P. Spang, Quincy,Mass, assignor to Cube Steak Machine Company, Inc., Boston, Mass, acorporation of Massachusetts Application July 8, 1939, Serial No.283,449

Claims.

This invention relates to meat-slitting machines of the type having aset of rotary slitting knives and an endless feed apron for feeding themeat to and delivering it from the knives.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide a meatslitting machine of thistype with novel means for supporting the meatwhile it is being acted on by the knives, so that the slice of meatmaybe either cut entirely through by the knives or may be slit only partway through.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel means forsupporting the motor by which the knives are driven. Other objects ofthe invention are to improve generally meat-slitting machines of theabove type in the particulars hereinafter set forth. 7

In the drawings, wherein I have shown some embodiments of my invention:

Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view on the line l-l, Fig. 3;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the grid or bridge member by which themeat is supported while it is being acted on by the knives; Fig. 2a is afragmentary View showing the supports for the bridge member illustratedin Fig. 1';

Fig. 3 is an end view of Fig. 2, the hood or cover being shown insection; v

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view similar to Fig. 1 but showing adifferent embodiment of the invention; I

Fig. 5 is a section on the line 5-5, Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary View showing still a different embodiment'of theinvention;

Fig. '7 is a View showing a different embodiment of the invention.

Referring now to Figs. 1 to 3, the rotary knives by which the meat isslit are indicated at I, there being a plurality or gang of such kniveswhich are mounted on a knife shaft 2 that is journaled in uprights 3, 4,forming part of the machine frame 5. The knife shaft may be rotated in'any approved way, and I have shown for this purpose a motor 6 which ishoused in the hollow base portion I of the machine frame 5.

situated between the uprights 3 and 4, said apronsupporting framecomprising two side rails I4 and I5 which are suitably connectedtogether and which carry in their ends two rolls l6 and H about whichthe endless apron 53 passes.

The roll IE is a driving roll and serves to give operative movement tothe belt. This roll l6 may be driven in any suitable or usual way, thatherein illustrated comprising a sprocket chain l8 which passes around asprocket wheel [8 fast with the driving roll l6 and around an idlersprocket wheel 20 mounted on the frame, the upper run of the sprocketchain [8 passing around under and having driving connection with asprocket wheel 2! fast on the knife shaft 2. This driving connection isso designed that the peripheral speed of the knives I will be greaterthan the surface speed or speed of movement of the feed apron l3.

22 indicatesstripper fingers which engage the upper surface of the meatwhile it is being acted on by the knives, said stripper fingers servingto hold the meat against its support While it is being slit, and alsoserving to prevent the meat from being lifted off from said support bythe knives. Thesestripper fingers may have any suitable or usualconstruction and are shown as carried by a head 23 which is removablysupported on a supporting bar that is pivotally mounted at 6l in bracketarms 24 rising from the side rails l4 and iii in a manner similar tothat shown in myco-pending application, Ser. No. 272,602, filed May 9,1939. The pivotal mounting of the head provides for' adjusting thestripper fingers vertically. I propose to use means similar to thatshown in my said application Ser. No. 272,602 for adjusting the positionof the stripper fingers, but have'not illustrated such means herein inorder not to confuse the drawing.

25 indicates a cover or hood which is carried I by the uprights 3; 4 andwhich partially encloses the knife l and the pulley it. The machine asthus far described is similar to that illustrated in my said co-pendingapplication, Ser. No. 272,602.

According to the present invention, have provided novel means inaddition to the feed apron l3 for supporting the meat while it is actedon by the knives, this means beingso constructed as to make it possiblefor the-knives either to cutenti-rely through the slice 42-, therebycutting it into strips,---or-to out only partially-through said slice,,thereby-to provide -a slice having -a series of parallel slits cut inone face thereofwhich extend nearly, but not entirely through the slice.

This end is accomplished by employing a bridge member which spans theportion of the feed apron directly beneath the knives and over which theslice of meat is fed while it is being acted on by the knives.

In the construction shown in Figs. 1 to 3, this bridge member isarranged so that the knives will cut entirely through the slice, therebycutting the latter into strips,

The bridge member is indicated at 26 and it comprises a piece of sheetmetal which is slightly arched transversely and extends across the feedapron from one side to the other thereof, said bridge member havingslots 2'! in which the lower edges of the knives I are received. Thisbridge member is shown as being supported in arms which are secured toand riSe from the side rails' I4 and I5, there being a pair of such armssecured to each side rail. The arms rising from the side rail l5 areindicated at 28a and those rising from the side rail H! are indicated at28. The arms of each pair are provided with notches to receive the edgesof the bridge member 26,

one arm of each pair having a notch 29 and the other having a notch 30.The arm having the notch 30 is cut away at its upper end at 3| tofacilitate the insertion of the bridge into the notches.

The bridge member is made of resilient material and it may be placed inits supporting arms by inserting one edge thereof in the notches 29, andthen bending said resilient bridge sufficiently to permit the other edgeto snap into the notches 30 through the cut-away portion 3| of the cor-'responding arms. 2 In Fig. 1, there is provided a supporting rod 32extending across from one side rail 14 to the other side rail l 5 andsituated beneath the bridge member, the purpose of this being to preventthe central portion of the apron from sagging.

In the operation of the machine shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the slice l2of meat-to be slit is placed on the feed apron at the right hand end andthe forward feeding movement of said apron willf carry the sliceforwardly and on to the bridge 26. As the slice of meat moves over thebridge 26, it is lifted from the apron and, at the same time, is actedon by the knives. Since the knives dip through the slots 21 in thebridge, said knives will cut entirely through the slice of meat as it isfed over the bridge, thereby cutting the slice into strips. As the slicemoves on to and over the bridge, the adhesion between the trailing endof the slice and the apron will cause the slice to be moved forwardlyover the bridge, and as soon as the knives begin to act on the meat, therotary movement of the knives will have a tendency tol feed the meatforward. As the meat passes over and beyond the bridge and the leadingedge thereof comes again into engagement with the apron, then theadhesion between the apron and the meat will give a forward feedingmovement to the meat.

The dimension of the bridge in the direction of the feeding movement ispreferably smaller than the corresponding dimension of an ordinary sliceof meat, so that as the meat is being fed beneath the knives, there willat all times be sufficient surface contact between the meat and theapron to insure the proper feeding movement of the meat as it passesover the bridge, especially in view 01' the fact that the rotarymovement of the knives have a tendency to feed the meat forward.

In Figs. 4 and 5, I have illustrated an embodiment of the inventionwhich is designed to cut slits only part way through the slice of meatand which also has a construction which permits the depth of the slit inthe meat to be varied.

The knives, the knife rotating means and the feed apron in Figs. 4 and 5have the same construction a that illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 3. Inthis embodiment, however, the bridge member is indicated at 26a and itis pivotally mounted on the side rails 54 and I5, and means are providedfor adjusting it toward and from the knives. The bridge is shown ashaving brackets 33 secured to it at one edge, said brackets beingpivotally mounted to the side rails l4, l5, as shown at 34. The other orleft hand edge of the bridge can be adjusted up or down by means of acam 35 carried by a shaft 36 which is journaled in the two side rails l4and I5. The bridge 26a has a follower member 31 on its under side whichrests against the cam. The bridge 26a is shown as in its highestposition in Fig. 4, in which position it is slightly separated from thelower edge of the knives I, By rotating the shaft 35 and thus turningthe cam 35, the left hand edge of the bridge will be lowered therebyseparating it further from the knives.

With the parts adjusted as shown in Fig. 4, the knives i will cut aseries of slits in the slice I2 of the meat, which slits extendpartially but not entirely through the slice. If it is desired to cutslits of a less depth, then the shaft 36 may be turned to adjust the cam35 into a position to lower the bridge 26a.

The shaft 36 may be turned in any approved way, although. I have hereinshown for this purpose a handle member 38 which is pivotally mounted tothe projecting end of said shaft, as shown at 39. Thi handle member hasa locking projection 40 adapted to engage any one of a number ofrecesses in the frame for the purpose of holding the shaft 36 in anyadjusted position.

The bridge member 26a shown in Fig. 4 is not provided with slots. On thecontrary, it has a smooth nonperforated upper surface, and thus couldnot be used for cutting slits clear through the slice of meat.

In Fig. 6 I have shown an embodiment wherein the adjustable bridgemember is provided with slots so that it can be used either for cuttingslits partially but not entirely through the slice or for cutting clearthrough the slice.

The bridge member in Fig. 6 is shown at 26b and it is provided at itsright hand edge with brackets 33h which are pivoted to the side rails I4and I5, as shown at 34. This bridge 26b is provided at its left hand endwith a follower 31b which rests on a cam 35b carried by a shaft 361)that extends across from one side rail to the other, and which isjournaled in said side rails. The cam. 35b is such that the bridgemember 2% may be adjusted into a lowered position shown in full lineswhere it is entirely below the knives and separated therefrom, or may beadjusted into a raised position in which the knives I extend through theslots in the bridge. When the parts are in the position shown in Fig. 6,the knives will cut slits partially but not entirely through the slice.When the bridge member is in the raised position shown in dotted lines,then the knives will cut clear through the slice of meat, therebycutting it into strips.

In the embodiments of the invention shown in Figs. 1 to 6, the feedingapron is a single unit extending from one end to the other of the siderails l4, l5, and having an input portion by which the meat is fed tothe knives and an output portion by which the slit meat is deliveredfrom the knives, and the bridge spans the space between the input andoutput portions. In Fig. 7 I have illustrated a different embodiment ofthe invention wherein the input and; output portions of the feedingapron are made in separate sections, an input section 10 which feeds theslice of meat I to the knives l and an output section H which deliversthe slit meat from the knives. With this arrangement, the input sectionH! extends around two rollers 12, 13, which are mounted in the siderails I4, 85, and the output section II extends around. two rolls T4,15, also mpunted in the side rails l4, l5. The output section 1| may bedriven in the manner shown in Figs. 1 to 6 by means of the sprocketchain l8 and sprocket wheel l9, which latter is rigid with the roll 14.I have herein shown the input section 10 of the feedin apron as beingdriven from the output section II by means of a sprocket chain 16 whichextends around sprocket wheels I9 and 80 that are rigid with the rolls14 and 12 respectively.

In this embodiment of the invention there is provided a bridge memberZfic which spans the space between the input section and the outputsection, just as the bridge in Figs. 1 to 6 spans the space between theinput and output portions of the feeding apron. This bridge 260 may besimilar to that shown in either Fig. 4 or 6, it being pivoted on theside rails l4, l5, as indicated at H, and a cam 18 being provided foradjusting the bridge member up or down. This cam 18 may be similar tothat shown in Fig. 4 or 6.

In all embodiments of the invention, the feeding apron, whether it is asingle unit or is made in sections, has an input portion by which themeat is fed to the knives and an output portion by which the slit sliceis delivered from the knives, and a bridge member is provided whichspans the space between the input portion of the feed apron and theoutput portion thereof. Where the feed apron is a single unit, as shownin Figs. 1 and 4, the input portion of the feeding apron is that portionwhich feeds the meat to the knives while the output portion is thatportion which delivers the slit meat from the knives.

The motor is shown as supported on a platform 42 which is pivotallymounted to the frame 5 at 43. In the present embodiment of theinvention, the opposite or free end of the platform is supportedbetweeen two springs which give a cushioning effect and absorbvibration. Means are also provided for adjusting the tension of thesprings and for adjusting the position vertically of the platform so asto secure the proper tension on the belt 8. For this purpose I employ anadjusting screw 44 which extends through an opening in the edge 45 ofthe platform and which has screw threaded engagement with the boss 46 onthe inside of the hollow portion I of the frame. The screw 44 isprovided with a knurled head 41 by which it may be adjusted. 48 and 49indicate two springs encircling the screw 44, one spring being confinedbetween the portion 45 of the platform and the head 4'! of the screw,and the other spring being confined between said portion s5 and a collar59 which is adjustable longitudinally of the screw and is held inadjusted position by lock nuts 5!.

The free edge of the platform is thus held between two cushioningsprings and by adjusting the position of the collar 51!, the springs maybe given any desired tension, and the vertical position of the platform42 may be changed in order to secure the correct tension of the drivingbelt 8.

The two springs 48, 49 absorb any vibration in the platform and areconducive to quietness in the operation of the machine.

While I have shown two springs 48 and it, yet the use of the singlespring 49 between the platform and the collar 5%) will be quiteeffective tion of the knife shaft and belt, the meat may be fed throughthe machine in either direction, it being understood that a machinehaving provision for rotating the knives and moving the apron in eitherdirection will be provided with a suitable stripper mechanism whichwould permit this reversing action.

I claim:

1. A meat-slitting machine comprising a machine frame having twouprights, a set of rotary slitting knives carried by said uprights,means to rotate the knives, an apron-supporting frame mounted on themachine frame between said uprights and comprising two side rails, anendless feed apron carried by said apron-supporting frame'and providingan input portion to feed a slice of meat to the knives and an outputportion to deliver the slit slice from the knives, means to operate theapron, a pair of notched arms rising from each side rail, a sheet metalbridge member extending across the apron beneath the knives andsupported in the notches of the arms, said apron spanning the spacebetween the input and output portions of the apron and over which theslice of meat is fed as it is being acted on by the knives.

2. A meat-slitting machine comprising a machine frame having twouprights, a set of rotary slitting knives carried by said uprights,means to rotate the knives, an apron-supporting frame mounted on themachine frame between said uprights and comprising two side rails, anendless feed apron carried by said apron-supporting frame and providingan input portion to feed a slice of meat to the knives and an outputportion to deliver the slit slice from the knives, means to operate theapron, a pair of notched arms rising from each side rail, a bridgemember of resilient sheet metal extending across the apron beneath theknives and having its edges retained in the notches of said arms by theresiliency thereof. said bridge member spanning the space between theinput portion and output portion of the apron and over which the sliceof meat is fed while it is being acted on by the knives.

tion to deliver the slit slice from the knives. means to operate theapron, a bridge member pivoted to the side rails and extending acrossthe apron beneath the knives, said bridge member spanning the spacebetween the input and output portions of the apron, and means forswinging the bridge about its pivot thereby to adjust its positiontoward and from the knives.

4. A meat-slitting machine comprising a machine frame having twouprights, a set of rotary siltting knives carried by said uprights,means to rotate the knives, an apron-supporting frame mounted on themachine frame betweensaid uprig ts and comprising two side rails, anendless feed apron carried by said apron-supporting frame and providingan input portion to feed a slice of meat to the knives and an outputportion to deliver the slit slice from the knives, means to operate theapron, a sheet metal bridge member extending across the apron beneaththe knives and spanning the space between the input and output portionsof the apron and over which the slice of meat is fed as it is beingacted on by the knives, said bridge member having slots in which theknives may operate, means pivotally mounting said bridge member on theside rails, and. means for swinging the bridge member about its pivot,thereby to place it either in a position in which the knives operate insaid slots or in a position in which it is located below the knives,whereby the machine may be adjusted to out either entirely through theslice or only part way through the same.

5. A meat-slitting machine comprising a machine frame having twouprights, a set of rotary slitting knives carried by said uprights,means to rotate the knives, an apron-supporting frame mounted on themachine frame between said uprights and comprising two side rails, anendless feed apron carried by said apron-supporting frame and providingan input portion to feed a slice of meat to the knives and an outputportion to deliver the slit slice from the knives, means carried by theside rails and situated beneath the bridge member for supporting theupper run of the apron in a substantially horizontal plane, means tooperate the apron, a sheet metal bridge member extending across theapron beneath the knives and spanning the space between the input andoutput portions of the apron and over which the slice of meat is fed asit is being acted on by the knives, said bridge member having slots inwhich the knives may operate, means pivotally mounting said bridgemember on the side rails, and means for swinging the bridge member aboutits pivot, thereby to place it either in a position in which the knivesoperate in said slots or in a position in which it is located below theknives, whereby the machine may be adjusted to out either entirelythrough the slice or only part way through the same.

JOSEPH P. SPANG.

